


Birthright of a King

by writingramblr



Series: Thor AU series [3]
Category: Thor (Movies), Thor:the Dark World
Genre: Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Part 3, Thor AU, Thor: The Dark World AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-10
Updated: 2013-11-28
Packaged: 2018-01-01 01:06:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 9,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1038520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingramblr/pseuds/writingramblr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of the Avengers, Loki was escorted back to Asgard by Thor, who, once freed from the dark mind control of King Laufey, was eager to prove his worthiness of the throne.<br/>However, Odin is reluctant to hand the throne over to either of his sons, and he does not yet believe Loki was acting completely outside his own control.<br/>He orders him confined until he can be sure, and then the events of The Dark World come into play.<br/>Back on earth/Midgard, Jane is slowly trying to come to grips with the fact that Loki might not be just who she thought he was in New Mexico.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Darcy's Meddling

**Author's Note:**

> As I have only viewed the Dark World once, these first few chapters will be very rough, and as such, i'm only posting a short snippet for now, until i can make notes and plot further, and you'll notice i switched titles around, as i had the amazing discovery that Loki mentions birthright in the film, and i had to use it here.  
> I hope you'll stick around for this story, as it will follow most events, but have it's own Lokane twist, courtesy of me.  
> It may also not turn out to be a full length story as the first part was, but I want to make sure it's more than drabbles like the second, so bear with me.  
> Rewatching is complete. And it's rated 'T' for violence.  
> p.s. it's an extremely biased version of the movie, the way i wished it had gone, so read at your own discretion.

Once Loki and Thor returned to Asgard, Odin commanded that Loki be placed under guard.

Thor, naturally protested.

“He has done nothing wrong. He only acted under the Other’s influence, and is of no danger to any of us. He came home. Can’t you see he has suffered enough?”

Odin’s heart ached for his adopted son, but his mind was unsure he could trust him.

“I understand your opinions on this matter, but I will not allow any room for the possibility of his mind being breached again. Loki will remain in the palace, but under observation, for as long as I see fit.”

Thor’s open mouthed shock spoke volumes of his newfound love and trust for his no longer blood brother, but he could not argue.

Loki could only shrug as he let himself be led away in chains, down the quiet halls of the palace.

What had seemed to be the promise of home, turned out to be yet another cell.

***

On earth, time seemed to pass much slower for Jane Foster and even with the recent relocation to London, she couldn’t help but miss her god of mischief. She knew after the news stories and reports from New York, he had to have fallen into some sort of trouble. They had made it sound like _he_ had led the invasion of the strange and fierce space aliens. But that wasn’t possible. Loki was on their side.

No matter.

She was constantly on the lookout for any readings that could indicate his arrival back to ‘Midgard,’ as he liked to call it.

She smiled at the thought, before her happy expression faded into one of annoyance.

She had just received a text from Darcy.

Her former intern, now scientific research partner, had set her up on a blind date.

Insisting she needed to get back out in the dating world.

“As if.” Jane mumbled to herself, kicking at one of the empty ice cream cartons that surrounded her on the red plaid couch she currently was lounging on.

So maybe she looked a bit pitiful, pining over a Norse god, who turned out to be simply a man.

A man who could be deemed armed and deadly, if the reports involving him and the Avengers were accurate.

She would be having words with him about that. She had been just a few dozen miles upstate, he could have stopped by for a hello before leaving for Asgard, again.

Maybe she did need to get out of the house. Maybe a nice lunch with a nice guy would do her good.

She looked over at her silent equipment and sighed,

“Alright. If you insist.”

She typed a hasty, but angry reply back to Darcy, and ran to jump in the shower.


	2. A Mother's Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (finally rewatched TDW, and yes, sorta glossed over the battle on Vanaheim, to focus on Frigga & Loki feels.

What felt like two years for Jane while on earth and in England, back on Asgard, it was a mere few weeks that passed, while Loki languished in his cell.

While he spent his days reading boring history novels, and kicking around empty drink goblets, Thor, Lady Sif and the warriors three fought raging battles all across the nine realms.

After the rainbow bridge had been destroyed, and the Bifrost with it, war had erupted across the cosmos, and forced Asgard from its peaceful slumber, to join in the fight.

***

Whilst experiencing a calm moment on Asgard, Hogun received a message from his home world Vanaheim, requesting his return to help repel marauders and invaders.  
Thor leapt from the table where he had been sitting and slowly drinking a mug of hot cider, and tossed it aside,

“Of course! We must go aid your people, Hogun, you have my hammer.”

Sif rose, and clapped her fist to her chest plate,

“And my blade.”

Volstagg shook his head at all of them, and held out his axe, wordlessly pledging himself.

Fandral stepped across the room, halting his stargazing, and drew his sword,

“Sif’s blade shall not fight alone. You have mine, and my heart stopping good looks.”

A roguish wink towards Sif made them all laugh, momentarily lightening the mood.

Hogun smiled grimly, and clapped Thor on his back,

“Let’s leave at once, and prevent any further bloodshed on my world.”

“For Asgard!”

The warriors and Sif all shouted as they left the hall, and their voices rung out through the entire palace.

***

Alone in his cell, Loki could hear the echoes of his brother and his friend’s battle cries as they left the castle walls.

He turned the page of his book, a heavy tome elaborating on the history of Jotunheim , and tried to bury the feeling of longing that seemed to cause every limb to ache with the slightest movement.

He was not made to sit idly by and do nothing. He wished to help protect his world, at least, his adopted world, and to be denied any visitors outside of his mother was almost too much to bear.

Luckily, it seemed she had read his very thoughts, and he heard footsteps in the hall outside his cell.

Loki looked up to see Frigga, smiling warmly at him, and he threw aside the book without a second glance.

“Mother!”

Frigga stepped up to the enchanted walls surrounding him, and brushed her fingers against the invisible shield, which allowed her to pass through, and to enter his cell.

Though it was furnished with many more books, and chairs with a desk, a few pillows and soft furs to sleep on, it still felt very much like the bleak mind prison the Other had kept him in.

Perhaps that was why he was so desperate to be free from its deceptively kind interior.

“Loki, how are you? I see you are keeping your mind strong and your intellect limber.”

Frigga glanced pointedly over at the upturned stacks of books, and the most recent addition, which lay split in half against the floor.

Loki shrugged, and smiled ever so slightly,

“Well mother, what else should I do? I have only time unlimited to my own devices.”

Frigga took his chilled hands in her warm ones, and squeezed gently,

“Do not fret my son. I will never stop trying to get you back amongst your family and your fellow Asgardians.”

Loki closed his eyes, and looked away from her hopeful ones,

“Don’t feel the need to pity me, mother. I know father does not trust me, and until I have a chance to prove my loyalty to him, he probably never will.”

Frigga sighed, and didn’t relinquish her hold on him,

“I will not allow you to feel such animosity towards him. He means well. Even though it does not feel like it right now. He still loves you.”

Loki yanked his hands free, and stalked across the room, kicking absentmindedly at one of the chair legs,

“Don’t lie to me! I am the master of lies, the prince of them, is that not what they call me? I know he has no intention of letting me free until he can be sure I will not murder the first person I see. He still does not believe I am innocent. Why do you think I am being kept here, ‘under observation?’ He will give Thor the throne, and allow me to rot in this cell until Jane is long dead.”

Loki collapsed to the floor, his worry and despair finally breaking through the façade of anger and frustration.

Frigga stepped towards him cautiously, and when he made no move to repel her, she knelt down beside him, and embraced him.

“Loki, my son. Is that what you are afraid of? Losing her?”

The sobs that shook his entire body were answer enough to her.

Frigga would not let her son be tortured by the thought of losing what he cared for the most.

She was not an ignorant woman. She had the gift of sight, but kept it from any and all she knew, for she could change nothing. She knew what had happened when Loki had fallen to Midgard. She knew that the mortal woman had more than instrumental in changing her son’s hard heart.

Perhaps the woman could be the one to restore Odin’s trust in his youngest son.

“I will speak with your father. That is my promise.”

Loki said nothing, but merely nodded. He was content to sit and be held by his mother, who whispered Asgardian lullabies from his childhood and stayed with him until he had drifted off into a dreamless slumber.


	3. Victorious

When Thor, Fandral, Volstagg and Sif returned victorious from Vanaheim, where Hogun had chosen to remain with his family, a grand feat was thrown to celebrate the won battles, and to honor the fallen warriors on both sides.

Thor accepted the words of praise that were given, but deferred always to his friends, who had helped him more than a few times. Sif laughed anytime someone suggested that they only won because of Mjolnir.

Thor made certain to point out her dangerous sword and smile lest she become angry.

“They think I am merely your good luck charm. How wrong they would be if a fight were to break out over the last leg of meat. Or the last glass of ale.”

Thor chuckled and couldn’t argue with the fierce beauty,

“You are correct Sif. I think you would outshine even the Valkeries in your fury.”

Sif raised her eyebrows at him,

“Careful now, you may be denied entrance to Valhalla if you speak like that.”

Thor beamed at her,

“You don’t believe that now do you? They need more like me.”

Sif narrowed her dark eyes at him,

“More like you? What? Blondes? Have you not noticed Fandral’s fair hair?”

She laughed again, and tossed back the rest of her wine.

Thor shrugged,

“We are a dying breed.”

Sif nearly choked on her last sip,

“You can’t be serious. You do realize I used to be blond? Until your little brother destroyed my hair.”

Thor instantly sobered at the mention of Loki, and Sif felt the change, before she saw his expression.

“I’m sorry. I know you wish he could have been at our side. I must confess I miss his teasing and even his silver tongue at times.”

Thor nodded,

“Father cannot still be suspicious of him. He deserves to be able to attend a feast. He deserves to see the Bifrost, rebuilt, and more stunning than ever. Surely if he was with me, Father would not worry about him. I know mother visits him often. Hopefully she will make father see.”

Sif put her hand on Thor’s shoulder, and he was surprised to feel a surge of warmth at her touch,

“I know you care for him Thor, we all do. But I do not blame your father for being cautious. After what happened on Midgard…”

Thor’s head fell into his hand,

“Yes, but that was not him! He was being controlled, just as I was, and I nearly killed father! But he forgive me in an instant. Why is he not showing Loki the same courtesy?”

“Thor, you did not harm anyone, Loki killed many mortals while under his spell.”

Thor sat up straight, and gritted his teeth,

“That makes no difference. He is my brother, and though he is not my blood, I will not stand by and see him suffer.”

Sif shrugged,

“He is being denied nothing, he is not being harmed. I doubt he’s suffering much in his solitude. He always did like to have his alone time.”

She tried to muster a smile for Thor, and he nodded,

“Of course, you’re right. You usually are, and though I may not always agree with you, I am grateful for your council, and for your blade.”

Sif smiled, letting it met her eyes this time, and she raised her drink to him,

“Thank you for such high praise Thor.”

 

Across the room and at the head of the table, Odin was quite pleased to see Thor and the Lady Sif conversing as seriously as they appeared.

He had long hoped they would enter into courtship, and he would not be averse to Sif becoming queen of Asgard one day, at his oldest son’s side.

He turned to speak with his wife, the wise queen Frigga, but was surprised to find her looking quite solemnly at their son.

“Frigga? What is wrong?”

“Hmm? Oh nothing. I’m afraid I might be a little weary, from worrying about Thor and his quest to Vanaheim, I just need a good night’s rest, and I will feel more like myself.”

Odin nodded, and gave it no further thought.

Frigga leaned on her hand, and watched Thor as he spoke with Sif, and pondered how she could go about speaking to her husband about Loki.

***

Loki could hear the sounds of the feast wafting through the halls, not to mention the smells from the fine meal, and the bellowing laughter of Volstagg.

He pretended not to care, he sat very still turning page after page of yet another history tome, yet his eyes barely scanned a sentence before he realized he had finished the book in a mere minute.

He angrily tossed it aside, and looked outside his cell, curious to observe his newest neighbors.

Asgardian palace guards had escorted a large group of captured Vanaheim bandits, and a few looked like normal beings, but several were much larger and seemed surrounded by a dark aura.

Loki could not be sure why, but he felt uneasy, like something dark and ominous was nearby, just out of sight.


	4. Veggies

_Back On Midgard…_

Jane sat across from her date, Richard, and tried not to look bored. She gazed intently at the menu, even though it wasn’t exactly heavy reading material.

A noise distracted her from her concentration on avoiding conversation, and she glanced down to see a cocktail napkin, with a small “Hi” scrawled upon it.

She looked over at her date, and managed a smile.

“I’m sorry. It’s just, been a while.”

Richard laughed and shrugged,

“When a woman agrees to go out with me, but then spends the first ten minutes of said date staring at her menu, and not me, I have to wonder, if there’s something on your mind?”

Jane set the menu aside, and tried to keep a serene expression,

“You’re right. I’m really sorry. There was this guy, who I thought I had something with, but then he just left. He vanished. He’s been gone a long time, but for some reason I just can’t seem to get him completely off my mind.”

Richard nodded,

“I’ve been there. Distance. It can drive relationships apart. I knew this girl, who ended up moving to New York, and though we tried, it just didn’t end well. Of course, there was also the fact she was sleeping with a lot of other guys.”

Jane winced,

“Yikes. I’m sorry. That sounds horrible. Not nearly as bad as what happened to me.”

Richard nodded,

“That’s why I don’t date musicians anymore.”

Jane smiled and was about to attempt a better effort at conversation, when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping against hope she had imagined it. Unfortunately, the screech of chair legs against the floor brought her back to reality.

“Hey Jane! How’s it going? Looks like you two are hitting it off. What did I tell you? He’s cute right?”

Darcy smiled broadly at Jane, who threw a glance of apology towards Richard, who merely looked amused, not bothered.

“Darcy…what are you doing here?”

Jane’s intern shrugged,

“Well, you said call you if anything unusual happens, so I did. But I guess you have your phone on silent, or not on you at all, you silly goose.”

Darcy held out said cell phone, and Jane tried to look innocent, whilst ignoring the offending object,

“Oh, whoops.”

Darcy continued without bothering to take a breath,

“So those machines you’ve been ignoring the last few days, they started going crazy, and I thought you would want to know, here, take a look.”

Darcy passed over the smallest display tablet, and even Richard looked curious as Jane glanced at the readings.

“What is happening?”

Darcy shrugged,

“I dunno exactly. You’re the physicist remember? Just the intern.” Darcy tapped her nose, and sat back, watching her boss intently.

Jane fought to keep a straight face, as the readouts indicated to her a high level of energy nearby, very similar to the output from when a certain dark haired god had dropped out of the sky.

“That’s very interesting. But Darce, you can see I’m rather busy at the moment. Hold onto those, and I’ll call you later.”

Jane plucked her cell phone out of Darcy’s hand, and smiled with finality at her.

Darcy glanced over at Richard, and stood up so fast the chair legs screeched against the floor again,

“Gotcha. Right-o. See ya later Jane.”

Jane nodded absentmindedly and sat back with a loud exhale of a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding.

“I am so sorry about that. Darcy gets over excited very easily. She’s going to be a great scientist one day.”

Jane resumed staring at the menu, and mumbled under her breath,

“I think I’ll have the vegetarian.”

Richard’s eyebrows shot up,

“You’re vegetarian?”

Jane’s gaze snapped to his face,

“Oh no. Only during the week, usually. It’s just, it sounds so good. Veggies. Veggies. Veg-gies.”

Richard fought back a smile,

“You know Jane, I think you should go after your friend, and maybe stop saying ‘Veggies.’”

Jane swallowed, before gently setting the menu down,

“You’re right. I’m really sorry. I had fun. We should do this again, maybe actually get to drinks next time.”

Richard nodded,

“Don’t apologize. I had a nice time too; I’ll just sit here and say ‘Veggies’ by myself.”

Jane smiled at him weakly, before leaping from her chair to follow after Darcy.


	5. A Dark Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cliche chap title i know...please don't throw stuff!

Jane and Darcy drove around until the device in Jane’s hands began beeping loudly.

“I think this is it.”

“Yeah, I figured that out by myself thanks. Don’t forget to bring the spectrometer.”

Darcy squinted at the backseat,

“Which thing is that?”

“The one that looks like a toaster.”

“Oh right.”

They had been led to a large abandoned building, a former factory of some kind.

After stumbling upon three young children, Jane and Darcy were led to the cause of the energy output.

A strange gravity shift and vacuum of sorts existed at above the first floor, and the children had been amusing themselves by dropping articles of trash and rubble into the portal.

Sometimes the items reappeared, sometimes they didn’t.

Jane left Darcy behind with the kids, and strict orders to keep a hold of the car keys, while she walked around with the spectrometer.

As she climbed onto the top floor, it began to lead her down a hallway, which although appeared empty, was very windy, despite only being open to the roof.

While leaves blew about her feet, and even her hair whipped about her face, Jane was determined to find the energy source, but suddenly her feet were no longer touching the ground!

She was being drawn towards a door at the hallways end, but right before she hit it, it disappeared, and she with it.

****

Jane found herself on the edge of a bridge, or what looked like one. The air was cold, and she couldn’t hear anything but the wind at her back. She felt uneasy, and looking around, she had a feeling she wasn’t on earth still.

“What did I do now?”

Jane muttered to herself, as she walked carefully away from the edge, and towards a red glowing pillar of stone.   
“Strike that. Actually two separated pieces of rock.” She thought to herself.

Only the middle was glowing, and she could swear she saw something moving between the stones, a reddish mist.

She knew she shouldn’t but her hand moved almost unconsciously towards the light, and before she knew what was happening, it was on her hands, and then below her skin.

Jane’s eyes widened in shock, before a dark shroud fell over her vision, and her knees gave out.

She was unconscious before she hit the ground.


	6. The God of Mischief...and Snark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *hands over snarky and sexy Loki to make up for last short chapter*

_On Asgard_ …

 

Heimdall was not usually one to gaze at any particular world, as his job was to protect only Asgard, but observe the nine realms.

But at Frigga’s request, on behalf of Loki, he had been keeping a look out on a certain mortal, who was a curious one of her species.

The watcher frowned, for though his vision was unimpaired, the young mortal was suddenly nowhere to be found. He had just seen her walking through a building moments before.

This was not something to let pass by.

He needed to inform the queen.

***

Odin sat upon the throne, quiet and somber, as he listened to what Thor and Frigga had to speak to him about.

They were worried about Loki, and wished for him to be given a trial release.

Before he could reply, Heimdall had walked into the throne room, falling to his knees in a deep bow,

“My king. I beg your pardon, but I must inform your Queen in an urgent matter.”

Odin nodded to the watcher, and waved him up,

“Speak. I am unaware of any urgent matters that concern my lady. Tell us what is troubling you.”

Heimdall nodded, his golden eyes distant,

“My queen, the mortal, she has vanished from my sight. I do not know where, or how.”

Frigga’s eyes became worried, and she turned to Thor,

“Go tell your brother. He will want to know.”

Thor nodded, and moved to leave, but Odin spoke,

“Wait. Who is this mortal you speak of Heimdall?”

“My king, she is the woman from Midgard who found Loki after his banishment. She helped him, and was the reason he returned to Asgard.”

Odin’s eyebrows lifted in surprise,

“Why have I not heard anything until now?”

He glanced towards his wife, who smiled at him,

“What can I say? Loki has not exactly been eager to confide in you.”

Odin sighed, and nodded.

“I understand. I have been as stubborn as my own sons. Thor, do not just tell him bad news, bring him to the throne room, so our watcher may tell him.”

Thor grinned,

“It would be my pleasure.”

***

Loki was lying on his bed, tossing a goblet up into the air and catching it, over and over again when he heard footsteps nearing his cell.

He looked over to find Thor, and chuckled aloud.

“Finally you come to visit me brother. Why? Have you come to regale me with tales of the battle of Vanaheim, or brag to me of the destruction of Jotunheim?”

Thor growled in impatience, as he reached out and carefully unlocked the cell door.

Loki sat bolt upright, and his jaw dropped,

“What are you doing? Is this a jailbreak?”

Thor strode towards him, and lifted him to his feet,

“Stop asking stupid questions and don’t argue. We’re going to see father.”

Loki frowned, before jerking his arm from his brother’s grasp. He was only free for a moment before Thor took hold of him again, this time with less restraint.

“He’s _your_ father. Not mine. If he wishes to see me, he would have come long before now. So he sends you to do his dirty work. Where are we going? The stockades? The-”

Thor smacked him upside the head,

“If you don’t shut up, I’m going to drag you there.”

Loki raised an eyebrow in surprise, and merely nodded to his former cell neighbors, who watched in open dismay as he left them behind.

“Very well.”

Loki bit his tongue and kept silent until Thor and he arrived at the throne room.

Thor nodded to Frigga, and let go of Loki, nudging him until he stood before the Allfather.

Heimdall stood somber and still beside the throne, and made no indication that he saw or cared to see Loki.

“Loki. I have summoned you here because something has happened that you may be interested to know.”

Odin boomed, and Loki only smirked,

“Don’t tell me, you’re sick, and Thor’s becoming king. Can I be the first to say congratulations to our new ruler?”

He turned to throw a mocking bow towards Thor, who in a rare moment of calm, merely rolled his eyes.

Frigga stepped closer to Loki, and put her hand on his shoulder,

“This is not the time for jokes Loki. Your friend from Midgard, Jane, has gone missing.”

Loki felt the room begin to shrink, and he swore that even the ground started moving.

“What?” he hissed out between clenched teeth.

Odin nodded,

“It’s true. Heimdall has informed us that he lost sight of her in her realm. Your mother has kept this from me, but I know why. She believes you have a heart, even behind all those tricks.

 If you truly care for this mortal, and if she was the only reason that you returned to save Asgard from ruin by King Laufey, then you owe her your life.

As I owe you mine. Loki, my son, you are hereby granted your freedom. What will you do?”

Loki could hardly believe his ears, and even as his heart ached with worry for Jane, he could not keep from embracing Frigga with all his strength in gratitude.

He knew she must have helped bring about this change in Odin’s mind.

Loki let go of his mother, and turned to the Allfather,

“I would ask to go to Midgard, and to try and find Jane. To make certain she is safe.”

Odin nodded, and waved towards Thor,

“You go with him. The people of Earth are still under your protection, and they might not take kindly to someone they know was dangerous.”

Loki gritted his teeth, but couldn’t argue. He didn’t want to be attacked on sight by anyone who’d been privy to what happened in New York, and why.

“Can Sif come along? I think she might enjoy another visit to earth. I bet she remembers Jane.”

Thor beamed, and Odin shrugged, looking to Heimdall,

“Keep an eye on my sons, and your sister while they are gone.”

Heimdall bowed again, and replied in his deep voice,

“Yes my king.”


	7. A Few Much Needed Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (i just really wanted Loki to bring Thor and Sif along with him to earth....don't judge)  
> and it's time for...."the slap!"

_On Midgard…_

Jane felt sore all over, and when she tried to open her eyes, the brightness seared her retinas.

“Ouch.”

She mumbled, and slowly turned over, before trying to move again, and her eyes snapped open as she realized what had happened.

She stuck out her arms, but could see no sign of the strange red…thing that had touched her and absorbed into her, before knocking her out.

“What happened?”

She wondered, as she carefully stood up, and began to walk out of the building. She saw flashing lights, and Darcy in the distance, and groaned in frustration.

“Jane!”

“Oh god Darce. Please tell me you didn’t call the cops?”

Darcy looked nearly hysterical,

“What do you think? You were missing for six hours! Of course I called the cops.”

“For goodness sake, sometimes you can be so stupid.”

Darcy rolled her eyes,

“A simple ‘I’m fine’ would have worked.”

Jane opened her mouth to argue, but a rumble of thunder sounded, and it started pouring rain without warning.

Darcy looked up in confusion, the sky was relatively clear, and for some reason, she and Jane weren’t getting wet.

“What’s going on?”

Jane swallowed, and looked around, before gasping in shock.

Behind the building, just a few yards away, stood a strangely familiar figure with blond hair and a red cape, alongside an  _extremely familiar_ tall dark haired man and woman.

They were all dressed in armor, and Jane knew exactly who they were. At least one of them.

“Loki!”

Jane ran towards him, without even stopping to notice the dry bubble she had been standing in followed her, and left Darcy behind to get drenched.

“Really?” She whined as she watched Jane stop short before the tallest of the three visitors.

***

“Jane! Are you alright?”

Loki was so relieved to see her, he didn’t notice her hand rising until it was too late.

His cheek smarted from the blow, and he could only smile at her.

“I guess you are.”

Thor grinned at them, and whispered to Sif,

“I like her.”

Sif remembered the mortal fondly, and she bit back a laugh at her reaction to seeing Loki.

 

Jane blinked a few times at Loki before she blushed,

“I’m sorry. It’s been a weird day. I just wanted to make sure you were real.”

Loki looked a bit surprised,

“Uh yes, I’m real. Now, can you tell me—”

Another slap befell Loki’s other cheek.

Jane waved her hand around, and tried to keep a straight face. Hitting an Asgardian wasn’t easy on the hand.

“Where were you? You said you would come back. I saw you in New York, on TV. And him too!”

Jane pointed to Thor, who beamed at her again, and bowed slightly, before reaching to take her hand, preventing any more slapping,

“It’s an honor to meet you Lady Jane.”

The manners of this god distracted her from the potentially bad ones of her god of mischief, and Jane found herself blushing again, but for a different reason.

“Ahem. Yes. You too, ah blond muscle guy.”

Loki chuckled,

“This is my brother Thor, god of thunder. He’s the cause of all this rain. Thor, I think you can ease up now. We’ve made a rather bad impression. You remember Lady Sif?”

Jane was flabbergasted even as the rain ceased and sun emerged from the clouds that had only been there a few minutes.

She nodded to Sif, slightly hurried, before turning back to Loki,

“Well? Explain.”

Thor glanced at Sif, and they retreated a few yards away, still able to keep watch, but also to attempt to give Jane and Loki some privacy.

“Jane, whatever you saw on TV, that was me yes, but I was not exactly myself. A terrible being found me after the Bifrost was destroyed, and I was thrown into space. I am sorry I couldn’t come to you, but when I finally was free of the Other, I’m afraid I was back home, on Asgard. Without the Bifrost, the nine realms were thrown into disarray, and my brother Thor, Lady Sif, and the Warriors three were forced to bring peace and order back. I meanwhile, have been wasting time inside a cell, wishing with all my heart I could find a way back to you. I’m here now. I hope you can forgive me for taking so long.”

Jane gulped, and tried to fight the urge to get lost in his dark green eyes, which were begging, and pleading with her to forgive him.

But if he had been imprisoned, didn’t that mean he was guilty of some crime?

“Why were you locked up?”

Loki smiled warmly at her, reaching out a hand to brush back a strand of hair that had blown across her cheek,

“All of that and that’s the only thing you want to know about?”

Jane let out a nervous giggle,

“Yes I guess so. You’re right though. You’re here. And I missed you so much.”

Jane flung herself into his arms, and Loki embraced her gently, grateful to whatever gods had kept her safe for him.

He breathed in her scent, a sweet mix of lavender and something like fresh cut paper.

“I missed you more than you could ever know, Jane Foster.”


	8. Stranger Danger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (forgive me i've still only seen TDW twice and as hard as i tried, couldn't recall all of Odin's tale about the dark elves. so i sorta made it up and changed words and etc. i just basically had to drop the convergence plot device.)

“They’re cute.”

Darcy commented, and Thor started, looking over at the bespectacled mortal with interest.

“Who are you?”

Darcy stuck out a hand, and didn’t notice how Thor slightly flinched away from it,

“I’m Darcy. Intern to that crazy lady. She’s been nuts about him. She almost _went_ nuts. Thank gosh for science or she would be Bananaballs.”

Sif burst out laughing at the phrasing, and Thor simply looked puzzled.

“Your language is so strange, though I understand it perfectly, I also do not at the same time.”

Darcy paused mid-smirk at Thor as she caught movement out of the corner of her eye,

“Oh dear. I’ll be right back.”

The cops had started to walk towards her and the Asgardians, and she quickly moved to head them off.

“Can I help you?”

The man looked far from amused,

“Yes miss. You realize phoning in a false missing persons report is a felony?”

Darcy laughed,

“Oh it wasn’t a joke. She was missing…but now she’s back! That’s my silly friend Jane.”

The man’s eyes narrowed,

“Excuse me miss, but we don’t think ‘silly’ will cut it. Get your friend over here right now.”

Darcy smiled grimly,

“Er…yessir.”

 

“Hey Jane! I think we’re being arrested.”

Darcy stepped between her boss and Loki, just moments before they’d been about to kiss.

  
“Um Darce, kinda in the middle of something here?”

Jane tried to glare at her intern, but then she noticed all the men in bright yellow moving around their car.

“I need you to do the talking this time.”

Darcy nodded towards Loki,

“You’re looking good, letting the hair grow a bit huh? Suits you. Though it does make you look like you should be in a heavy metal band. Nice get up too. I guess you’ve got the ‘heavy metal’ already.”

She laughed at her joke, and tapped Loki’s breastplate for emphasis.

He looked as confused as Thor, but pretended to understand, playing along with her. She’d electrocuted him once; he didn’t ever want her to have the excuse to do that again.

When Jane and Darcy stepped towards the mortal police, Loki whispered to Thor,

“Be careful of Jane’s friend. She’s dangerous.”

Before Thor could question the warning, one of the policemen tried to grab Jane, and a large red shockwave erupted from her hand.

The Asgardians were blasted backwards along with Darcy, but Thor was quick to shield her head from hitting the pavement with his large hand.

Sif jumped up first, sword drawn, but there was no visible threat. All the mortals had fallen down, including Jane.

Darcy was slightly dazed, but otherwise unharmed as she got up, knees a bit shaky,

“Thanks muscle dude. I owe you one.”

Loki’s eyes widened and he ran to Jane’s side, where she had collapsed onto the ground,

“Are you hurt?”

Her eyes fluttered open slowly,

“What happened?”

“I don’t know. But we should take you to Asgard, for your safety.”

Jane nodded wearily,

“Okay.”

Loki scooped her up from the pavement into his arms, and moved to stand beside Thor and Sif, who smiled at Darcy, before gently nudging her back,

“You’ll need to move away.”

Darcy shrugged, before she focused on Jane in Loki’s arms,

“Wait a sec, where are you going?”

Thor glanced upwards,

“Heimdall, whenever you’re ready.”

Darcy threw her hands up over her face, shielding her eyes from the sudden brightness of the Bifrost, and when the light had faded, only the strange runes remained burned into the ground, and no sign of the Asgardians or Jane were to be seen.

“Great. Now how am I gonna get out of this one?”

Darcy muttered in annoyance, glancing uneasily at the approaching police.

***

_Asgard:_

 

Thor, Sif, Loki, and Jane appeared in the Bifrost chamber, and Heimdall nodded to the group, noting with surprise the additional passenger.

“Welcome to Asgard.”

Jane was still groggy, but she was able to stand on her own, and the tall dark golden armored watcher was a new sight to see.

“Hi.”

Loki gestured to her and back to Heimdall,

“This is Jane Foster.”

“I had my suspicions.”

Jane smiled at him,

“You have pretty eyes.”

Heimdall graced her with a rare smile,

“Thank you Lady Jane, you are too kind.”

Sif rolled her eyes, and pushed Thor towards the rainbow bridge,

“Yeah yeah. We know. Tell Odin we’re on our way.”

Loki shook his head,

“You two go ahead, I’m taking Jane to the healing room.”

Thor nodded,

“A wise idea brother. What happened on earth was most unusual.”

***

Odin met Jane shortly after the healers had finished diagnosing her.

Unfortunately, what ailed her was not fixable. Odin knew what it was.

“Come with me.”

Loki, who had not left Jane’s side, followed with a burning curiosity, as Odin led Jane, Loki, and Thor, who had returned from speaking with Frigga, informing her of their new guest.

Odin stopped inside a large room, which held several large tomes on a table. Above the table, a model of the nine realms twirled overhead, glowing gold and gently sparkling in the sunlight.

“Long ago, before the dawn of the nine realms, there was darkness. In that darkness, dark Elves ruled over the cosmos. Their leader, was an Elf named Malekith. The world of Svartalfheim was bent on keeping the entire universe enslaved in eternal darkness, with an ancient weapon. It was called the Aether. Malekith created it to control and destroy any new worlds he came upon. But he was defeated, at great cost, by my father Bor. The aether was taken, and hidden away, to prevent it being used against any realm ever again. I never imagined it would be found so easily by a mortal. It relies on host bodies and will take the energy from a living being before it can be used. The last time it was released it nearly was the end of all life.”

Loki was overwhelmed by this knowledge. He knew of the stories about the Dark Elves, but they had been merely that, stories.

He had no idea that such a threat was real.

“What are you saying? Will they come looking for this weapon? For the Aether?”

Odin sighed,

“It is very possible.”

Jane raised her hand, finally having grown tired of being silent,

“Um quick question. Is this stuff going to kill me? Or can you get it out?”

Odin could not meet her gaze, and Loki stepped in front of her, taking both of her hands in his, gently squeezing them, assuring her without a word,

“I will not let that happen. We’ll figure out something.”

Loki turned to Odin,

“Is there any chance of danger? Do the Dark Elves still live?”

Odin shook his head,

“No. They were all killed.”


	9. An Enemy Known Only to A Few

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> writing this chapter was rough, and i did take lots of liberties. timewise.  
> I also changed...well you'll see.

When chaos erupted in the prison block, Loki would have gladly argued the knowledge of his father.

When the first Dark Elvin ship appeared on the horizon, albeit cloaked, Loki decided to save his anger and devote that energy to defending Asgard.

Heimdall bravely leapt from the rainbow bridge to the Elvin ship and brought it down, whilst simultaneously destroying its clever shielding.

 *

The chaos from the prison block had begun from the strange marauders that the Warriors Three had escorted from Vanaheim, the ones that Loki had been suspicious of.

The truth was, they had been planted by Malekith, the still living ruler of the Elves.

Loki almost wished he had been there, to stop the monsters in their tracks.

Instead, he sent Thor to help guard the weapons vault, and to activate the Palace shield.

The magnificent golden bubble protected the palace for almost a full ten minutes, until one of Malekith’s monsters found it and destroyed the machine.

Loki only had one concern, protect Jane, and keep the Aether from Malekith at all costs.

***

Queen Frigga had taken to Jane quite easily, and when she turned to the frightened girl, and drew her small blade, she knew she had the mortals attention,

“Follow me, and do exactly as I tell you.”

Jane smiled nervously,

“Yes Ma’am.”

**

While the brave queen Frigga stared down the Dark Elf, who stalked menacingly around the room where she and Jane had taken refuge, Thor fought off the burning monsters and elves who had poured in from the ship that had crash landed in the throne room.

***

Jane barely had the breath to utter a scream as she watched Frigga be defeated and disarmed. When Malekith began to walk towards her, she backed away. Dismayed, she reached the wall in only a few steps.

“You have stolen something from me child.”

The low voice of the Elf taunted her, and she flinched away from his touch, only to melt from it.

She had been an illusion.

Malekith yelled in fury and outrage, and turned on Frigga,

“Where is she?”

Frigga smiled bravely at him, and shook her head,

“I’ll never tell.”

Malekith blinked and stared at his drawn blade,

“I believe you.”

A quick nod from the Elf, and Frigga felt the monster holding her move, and fire raced through her chest.

She tasted blood, and as she fell to the ground, she could only think of her sons, and her king.

“Don’t be afraid.”

She whispered to the cosmos, before her eyes fell shut for the final time.

***

Loki fell against the wall, and Jane stared at him in concern.

“What’s wrong?”

“I felt the illusion disappear. He knows. We must hurry.”

***

Thor arrived moments before Odin, and only an instant before Loki and Jane.

He saw Frigga fall to the ground, and couldn’t look away.

Luckily, lightening didn’t need to be guided by sight. He felt where Malekith stood, and the lightening flowed from Mjornir and struck the Elf square across his face, and Thor relished his agonized scream.

When the Elf began to flee, Thor flung Mjornir towards him with such power it actually broke Malekith’s collarbone, but even that was not enough to halt him.

He fled with his monster, and escaped on his ship, leaving Asgard in ruin and Thor on his knees.

***

Jane clapped her hand over her mouth in shock, as she saw Thor and Odin prostrate beside an elegantly dressed figure, and she felt her eyes sting with tears.

Frigga had been killed. Frigga was dead.

All to protect her.

Loki remained standing, and the only figure in the room that did not lose his composure.

Jane slid to the ground, and could only grasp onto his booted leg, fearing if she let go, she might lose him as well.

***

The funeral was the most beautiful thing Jane had seen, and yet the most heartbreaking.

She watched as Odin ordered the lit arrow to be fired, and once Frigga’s ship had been lit, a shower of arrows followed, lighting hundreds of ships.

Asgard had lost many lives, but none more devastating than its queen.

Jane could feel Loki’s despair, and she could see it on his brothers face, and the king? She dared not look his way. She felt like an outsider, an intruder. She felt horribly responsible.

When Frigga’s ship had passed over the falls, and her essence had risen to the heavens, only then did Loki finally break.

A single tear fell from each eye, and then they never stopped.

Not until Jane had put her arms around him, and said,

“It’s alright. I’m here. I’ve got you.”

***


	10. Not In Vain

Loki had not forgotten all that his mother had told him, and he was not about to let her sacrifice go to waste.

The next morning, he went before the Allfather, without consulting Thor first.

“Father, I must speak with you.”

Odin raised his head from his hand,

“What is it?”

“They will not stop. They will keep attacking us until Asgard is nothing but rubble and ashes. I must ask that you let us take Jane away from here. We could go to Svartalfheim, draw Malekith out of Asgard.”

Odin sighed deeply, before shaking his head,

“That would be unwise. And impossible. I have ordered the Bifrost to be opened to no one.”

“With all due respect, that’s not going to stop them. They could be right over our heads right now, and we would never know. Our defenses are practically gone. We are an easy target.”

Heavy footsteps alerted father and son to Thor’s presence.

“I agree with Loki. We must take Jane somewhere else. Anywhere. It isn’t safe for her here. It wouldn’t be right to put any other lives in danger.”

Odin looked weary, but he could no longer argue,

“Very well. But I will open the Bifrost to no one, not even you. You must find another way to leave Asgard. Loki, I trust you will not find that too difficult.”

The aptly named god of mischief smiled for the first time in days,

“Yes father. That will not be a problem.”

***

“I must say I am honored to be the one escorting you and your lovely lady to your escape vessel.” Fandral spoke with a wink towards Jane, and Loki gritted his teeth.

“I’m glad you’re our escort.” Jane smiled back at him.

“Don’t act so privileged. We’re all helping.” Sif taunted from his side.

“Not helping, so much as hindering I think.” Volstagg countered.

Fandral looked outraged, and insulted, but only slightly,

“Oh, I see how it is. A gentleman’s efforts are only appreciated by a cultured few.”

Loki rolled his eyes, and caught his brother doing the same,

“We are grateful to you. Now please, step away from Jane.”

The handsome warrior bowed deeply to Jane, and winked at Loki, before complying.

“Have a safe trip. Then again, if Thor’s driving, that may be a futile wish.”

Thor glared at the warrior, and Sif nudged him with her elbow,

“I think you’ll be okay. Just avoid any mountains.”

Loki bit his lip to keep from smiling. There was a good reason he was keeping the exact location of the secret exit from Asgard from Thor.

“Goodbye my friends. I hope to be back at your side, drinking and celebrating our victory very soon.”

Thor waved to Sif, Fandral, and Volstagg, who all returned his parting farewells.

Once the skiff containing Jane, Loki and Thor had taken off, they all relaxed a bit.

“This next bit should be fun.” Loki casually thought aloud.

Thor raised an eyebrow at his brother,

“Why do you say that?”

Loki smirked,

“Because you have to fly in there.”

He pointed to a high cliff that overlooked the Asgardian sea, and saw Thor go slightly pale.

“What?”

Jane followed where Loki was pointing, and gave a nervous laugh,

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

Loki shrugged,

“If it was easy, everyone would go this way.”

***

Thor closed his eyes for the last few moments of the flight, and Jane had to bury her face into Loki’s chest.

When their skiff crash landed on the black sands of Svartalfheim, Loki could not resist,

“Ta-da!”

Jane looked up, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Thor, who was trying to appear as if he’d never doubted his brother, reached over and punched him in the arm.

“Never do that again.”

Loki grinned,

“What did I tell you? Trust my information.”

Thor shrugged,

“I know. But it’s hard. Trusting you used to be an impossible dream.”

“Such little faith in me brother. I’m hurt.”

“Seeing as we’ve both been under the influence of foreign enemies, and at times not been ourselves, could you blame me?”

Jane raised a curious eyebrow at the statement, but was quite amused and distracted by Thor’s simple shrug of agreement.

“No. I suppose I can’t.”


	11. Casualties of Battle

“It’s not real, it’s not real, itsnotreal!”

Jane chanted over and over inside her head, when Loki first appeared to betray Thor, using the dagger he was handed as an easy way to draw first blood.

He kicked Thor in the side, and he began to fall down the cliff they had been watching Malekith from.

Jane had sensed the Dark Elf’s presence through the Aether in her veins. One moment she was looking at Loki’s assuring face, the next, she was seeing Earth through a dark red haze, and feeling the desire to wipe out all light and life.

She blinked again, and was back in the present.

She cringed as Loki raced down the hill, following his brother.

She ran after them both, screaming for him to stop hitting and kicking Thor, until he was lying still on the dark earth.

“See here, I’ve brought you a present.”

Loki reached out, and grabbed Jane’s arm, in what was slightly beyond a comforting grip, yanking her in front of him, and tossing her forward until she tripped over a clump of rock, and fell to her knees before the Dark Elf.

“All I ask in return is a front row seat to watch Asgard burn.”

Though he had remained still and silent, Thor leapt to action, and reached out his hand to summon Mjulnir, but Loki swiftly moved to immobilize his arm, and he slashed his dagger down, to slice through tendons and sinew, until Thor was shouting in pain, clutching his stump of a wrist to his chest armor.

Jane screamed again, and this time was not faking it.

The agony and pain Thor appeared to be in looked so real.

It was only the mantra in her head that kept her sane.

When Malekith stretched out his hand, lifting her up with the strength of the Aether, she felt all her limbs go still, and she went limp in midair.

***

Thor watched in terror, or at least, mostly terror, as Malekith began to pull the Aether from Jane, and when the last drop of red mist had left Jane’s body, he yelled to Loki.

“Now!”

Loki waved his hand and the illusion dropped, Thor’s hand reappeared, and he summoned Mjulnir, before directing a strong bolt of electricity at Malekith and the still floating Aether.

Loki jumped forward, and covered Jane with his body, he could feel her still shaking in fear and exhaustion at having the Aether extracted.

He wanted to say something, anything to reassure her, but now was not the time.

There was a momentary burst of bright light, and then an explosion as the Aether crystallized and blew up in Malekith’s hands.

Red shards, like frozen drops of blood fell to the black sand, and the roar of Malekith’s fury echoed across the dark desert.

Thor wasted no time, and went after the Elf, who tried to retreat to his ship, but was no match for the god of thunder.

Before Loki could help Jane to her feet, he saw Malekith’s pet monster, the very creature that had slain Frigga draw forth a vortex bomb, and he shoved Jane out of the way, but he was not fast enough to escape it himself.

The strong pull of the vortex was too much to resist, but seconds before he swore he saw his life flash before his eyes, a figure soared towards him, and pushed him free of the energy field.

It was Thor!

He had defeated Malekith, but the monster still lived, and it was now rapidly advancing on Jane’s prone form.

“Loki!”

She shouted, and he raced towards her, dagger drawn, but before he could blink, the creature had turned to him, spear outstretched.

It was cold metal, but it felt like fire in his chest, burning under his skin.

Thor was yelling and running towards him, and Jane was screaming on the ground, but all he could see were the monsters glowing red eyes. Triumphant in his final kill.

Or so he thought.

Thor swung his hammer, and drove it into the monsters chest, pushing him aside and into the nearby cliff face, until a heavy blow from a falling rock embedded itself in its skull.

Thor stepped away from the dead creature and looked around to see what had become of his brother.

Loki lay on the black dirt, clutching the spear that still sat in the middle of his chest.

Jane was frantic, and yet she did not dare try to remove it. Only when Thor drew close, and could see it would do no further harm, did she touch him.

Her hands were gentle, but still shaky as she removed the spear.

It was covered in Loki’s blood, and she blinked away tears that blurred her vision as she threw it as far from them as she could muster.

“Loki! Please, don’t leave me.”

He coughed once, and then smiled weakly at her,

“I’m sorry Jane. I was a fool.”

Thor shook his head, gripping his brother’s arm,

“Don’t say that. You did what was asked.”

Jane cradled Loki’s head closer to her chest, hoping by some miracle hearing her frenzied heartbeat would give him the strength to hold on. But already she could see the color draining from his features, and the spark had faded from his eyes.

“I will tell Father what you did here today. You will be mourned as a hero. Mother would be so proud.”

Loki managed a small chuckle,

“I didn’t do it for him. Or for Mother. I did it for you.”  
He looked directly at Jane, and she nodded, pressing her lips together, to keep from asking him the impossible.

As she held him, she felt him go still, and Thor could not stop himself from embracing his brother, one last time.

“What will we do?”

Thor shook his head,

“We must bring him home, to Asgard, for a proper funeral. First, I must return you to earth. I will come back for him with Sif and the warriors, to escort the body.”

Thor’s voice broke, and Jane could see the hurt and confusion in his eyes.

She wasn’t sure where her sudden strength came from, but she merely nodded, and took his arm.

“I’m ready.”

 

Neither of them noticed how the Aether’s shards had vanished from the black dirt.


	12. Tricks and Trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter. I know this story turned out very short, and quite different than i imagined.

A week after Loki’s funeral and the subsequent mourning period, Odin was faced with a difficult decision.

Thor was not ready to be king, but he was now the only choice.

Odin could not be certain how much longer he would live, and he wanted to secure Asgard’s future.

He called for Lady Sif, as he wished to confer about Thor with her.

He knew, he hoped, dared to dream that she could come to love his son, and when she strode in the throne room, a curious smile on her face, he was certain he had chosen well.

“Lady Sif, please, come forward.”

She nodded, and bowed quickly, before stopping at the bottom step.

“What did you wish to discuss with me Allfather?”

Odin looked weary, but replied with surprising alertness,

“Tell me, do you care for Thor?”

Sif raised a dark eyebrow, an oddly prying question,

“Certainly. We’ve fought together on countless battlefields, I would consider him a strong ally. I trust him with my life.”

Odin smiled,

“That’s not exactly what I meant.”

Sif blushed,

“Yes your highness. I know. I suppose what you are asking is, if I would want to ever be his consort?”

Odin nodded,

“He will be king one day. Perhaps sooner than he would like, and it would be a great comfort to me to know that he had someone like you at his side.”

Sif ascended closer to the throne, all the while smiling dreamily, as if picturing herself at Thor’s side.

“That sounds like a wonderful idea. Are you sure you approve of me?”

Odin looked confused,

“Of course. As why should I not?”

Sif grinned, and a green light flickered at the edge of her ponytail,

“Perhaps the question is, why did you ever let me in here alone?”

When she drew her sword, and Odin blinked in shock, the illusion had fallen.

Loki stood beside him, grinning as he drove the blade straight into the Allfather’s chest.

“Thank you for your vote of confidence father. I will treasure your words. Good idea by the way. Sif belongs with Thor. I hope she watches his back better than you watch yours.”

Loki kicked Odin off the throne, and watched him as he slid down the steps, groaning all the way.

Before anyone could be alerted to anything amiss, Loki waved a hand, and transformed Odin’s body into a golden goblet.

Loki stepped down and plucked it off the floor, staring at it intently, before throwing it aside, ignoring the loud clatter it made.

As green light flashed over his hands, he transformed himself into the very image of Odin, Allfather. The only thing amiss was the slight red glow of his eyes.

The Aether had plans for this vessel.

It had chosen a strong, though vulnerable host, and luckily, an ambitious one.

Loki smiled, and embraced the power flowing through his veins; he couldn’t wait until Thor returned home.

He needed to have a little chat with his brother.

Then once that was taken care of, perhaps he would go visit Jane on earth.

What a dramatic comeback he would make.

He could easily start small, appear in her dreams, and maybe earn her trust with a touch of sentiment over his ‘death.’

 The Aether clouded his judgment, and glossed over the true whisperings of his heart, but it was much too late for Loki to turn back.

With great power, comes great mischief.

***

**END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes i know....squeeeee.....at minor squinting hint at thorki...heh.  
> I'm not yet sure if i'll continue this, whether in story form or a drabble. But we'll see how it goes. Got a ton on my plate atm, but i am always grateful for feedback from my readers...if i still have any after this story!


End file.
